Engine starter



Aug. 1, 1933.

M. B. JACKSON ET AL ENGINE STARTER Filed April 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet l 7////// V/m/W////// a Aug.. l, 1933. M B' JACKSON E 1,920,794

ENGINE STARTER Filed April 7, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTUR5.

Aug. 1, 1933. JACKSON ET AL 1320 794 ENGINE STARTER Filed April 7, 1930 3 Shets-Sheet 3 INVENTURS.

Patented Aug. 1, 1933 ENGINE STARTER Maunsell B; jackson Toronto, Ontario, Canada,

Co. Limited, Leaside, Ontario,

Engineering Canada and Kenneth` M. Clipsham,

assigrors to Leaside Appiication April 7, 1930. Serial No. 442398 y 20 Claims. I

This invention relates to manually operable starters for internal combustion engines, and more particularly to the type in which the pinion may be turned in one direction of rotation and then in the opposite direction of rotation to mesh it with the engine gear, and our object is to provide simple means for effecting the above mentioned movements of the pinion. Other objects we have in' mind will hereinafter appear.

We attain our objects by means of the constructions briefiy described as follows. On a shaft driven by the starter motor is slidably and rotatably mounted a starter pinion which is connected by an overrunning clutch withthe sha'ft, the driven part of the clutch being attached to the pinion. The driving part of the clutch is slidably connected with the shaft and on this. part is' slidably and rotatably mounted a member or sleeve which has a disengageable driving connection with the driven part of the clutch. The pinion may thus be driven by the shaft and clutch to drive the gear or be turned and moved by the driving connection and the said member to mesh the pinion with the gear. Therotatable 'membervor sleeve has two oppositely directed cam faces which are adapted to be engaged seriatim by a yieldable extension on a manually operable member whereby the pinion may be turned first in one direction of rotation and then in the other direction of rotation;

The manually operable member is adapted to close the starter motor switchand' switch protection means is provided to prevent the switch from being closed except when 'the pinion is meshed with the gear'. If the pinion should be prevented from turning in the first' direction of rotation or be stopped during this initial turning theyieldable extension'will be moved to engage the second'cam face to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion. Should this reverse turning movement of the pinion also be prevented or stopped the yieldable extension will permit the manual member to continue its movement until it reaches the switch protection means. In

other words a jam between the pinion and the gear will not cause any, jam between the parts of the pinion entering mechanism.

` The constructions are hereinater more, fully described, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which e Fig. l is a longitudnal section, partly in side elevation of my starter showing the parts thereof in their normal or inoperative positions;

Fg. 2 a cross section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 a development of the surface of the rotatable and slidable member;

. Fig. 4 a diagrammatic view showing in full lines the position of the Starter parts when the pinion is corner jammed with the gear', and showing in dotted lines the position of the parts when reverse turning movement of the pinion is about to take place; i

Fig. 5 a diagrammatic View showing the parts after the turning movement of theipinion has .65 occurred and the pinion has been meshed;

Fig. 6 a cdiagrammatic View showing in full lines the position of the parts when the pinion is meshed with the gear and before the pinion is driven-by thestarter motor shaft and showing in dotted lines the position of the entering mechanism when the Starter motor has been energized;

Fig. 7 a diagrammatic View showing the pinion obstructed from turning in either direction and the switch protection means for preventing the switch from being closed; and

Fig. 8 a diagrammatic View showing a modified form of our Starter. i

In the drawings like numerals of reference '80 indicate corresponding parts in the difierent figures' 1 isa Starter motor provided with a shaft 2 on which is slidably and rotatably mounted a Starter pinion 3; An overrunning clutch 4 is adapted: to form a one way drive connection be'- tween the shaft and the-pinion. The driving part 5 of the chtch includesa sleeve which has a slidable driving connection 6 with the shaft 2. The clutch driven part '7 is carriedby the pinion and is driven 'from the part 5 by? any suitable means such as rollers 8 which are adaptedto permit the part '7 to overrun part 5. y

On the clutch driving part 5 is rotatably and slidably mounted\ a member or outer sleeve 9 having axialrestraint in one direction with regard to the driving part 5 by means of the sleeve support 10 and a shoulder 11 on the ipart so that when sleeve 9 is drawn to the left it draws the driving part 5, driven part '7- and pinion 3 with it. Preferably abrake Washer 12 is interposed between the sleeve support 10 andi the shoulder 11. Sleeve 9 has a cam slot with faces of suitable contour numbered for convenience of description 13, 13%* 14, l 14 15 and 16 the functions of which will be described in-detail later; Sleeve 9 has also a disengageable driving connection with the pinion which may be ormed by providing the end of the member 9 with teeth if? which co-operate with teeth 18`formed on a 110 -which is inclined to the axis of "spring pressure to ring 19 suitably secured to the pinion clutch part 7. The pinion may thus be driven by the clutch 4 and the shaft 2 to drive a gear 20 of an engine to be started or the pinion may be turned by the member 9 and the driving connection 17, 18 to bring the pinion teeth into meshing relationship with the gear teeth.

A manually operable member 21 pivoted on a spindle 22 carried by the starter housing 23 is provided with a yieldable extension 24. Theextension is pivoted at 25 on the member and is substantially U-shaped in cross section so that it embraces the member. r Normally the leg 26 connecting the sides of the extension is maintained by a spring 27 in engagement with a stop 28 formed on the member 21. One end of the spring 27, which is coiled about* the spindle 22, engages the housing 23 while' the other end engages a lug 29 on the extension so th'atthe one spring tends to keep the extension in its extencled position, which is determined by the engagement of the leg 26 and stop 28, and also tends to maintain the said member 21 in its initial position as shown in Fig. 1.

A pin 30 carried by the yieldable extension 24 engages the cam slot in the outer sleeve 9, the normal engagement being at 16 as shown in Fig. 1. When the upper end of the manually operablemember 21 is moved to the left, it carries the yieldable extension 24 ,to the right as if the two were one piece until the pin'30 engages the inclined cam face 13 *on-the member or outer sleeve 9. Further movement of the manually operable member 21 forces pin 30 against the cam face 13 and axially moves the outer s1eeve-9 to the right engaging the driving connection formed by the teeth 17, 18 and shifting the clutch 4 and pinion 3 as a unit towards the engine gear which is assumed to be stationary.

`If the pinion teeth abut the teeth on the gear 20, the rotatable member 9 and the pin 30 will be stopped in their movement to the right (see Fig. 4) and the continued movement of the manual member 21 will cause the yieldable extension 24 to swing on its pivot 25 relative to the manual member 21, and against the compression of the spring27. The pin thus moves in an upward direction and tends to turn the rotatable member 9 and thepinion 3 by reason of the reaction between pin 30 and cam face 13. Should this turning movement of the pinion be checked, as for example by a corner jam of the teeth of the pinion 'and' gear, the swinging movement of the extension will permit the pin to move up along the cam face 13 until the pin disengages from this face and engages the second cam face 14, the rotatable member 9 in a direction opposite that of the first mentioned cam face 13. In other words, the manualmember 21 continues its movement of rotation about its spindle 22 while the extension is prevented from moving therewith as a' whole but -is permitted to swing relative thereto against the Shift thej pin from one cam face to the other (see Fig. 4). As the spring 27 tends tomaintain the extension in its normal position, the 'spring will' now tend to actuate the pin to turn 'the member 9 and thus the pinion in a. direction of rotation opposite that caused by theengagement of the pin and the cam face 13. This reverse turning tendency imparted to the as illustrated in Fig. 5. 'If t be necessary to continue the reverse turning of the pinion to bring its teeth into meshing registration with the gear teeth, the continued movement of the manually operable member 21 will sweep the pin 30 along the second cam face 14. If the pinion should be obstructed during its reverse turning movement as illustrated in Fig. 7, the yielding connection between the pin and manually operable member 21 will permit the latter to continue its movement until a projection 31 on the manual member 21 engages the pinion clutch part 7 to prevent the upper end of the said member from actuating a Starter switch 32 while the pinion is abutting the gear.

It will be noted that, during the existence of the forward and backward torques caused by the cooperation between pin 30 and the faces 13 and 14 oi" the cam slot, the teeth 17 on sleeve 9 have been engaged' With, and pressed against the teeth 18 on pinion clutch' part 7. Spring 27 has been more or less flexed and the eect has been to hold pinion 3 yieldingly against gear 20 at the same time imparting to the pinion an entering torque first in one direction of rotation and then in the other.

When the pinion teeth enter the spaces between the gear teeth, the pinion clutch 4: and sleeve 9 will be moved to the right as shown in Fig. 6-that is the pinion will be meshed and the driving connection 17, 18 will still be engaged. The pin '30 may be on any part of cam face 13 or 14 depending on whether the entrance of the pinion took place without any turning movement of the pinion or during the initial or reverse turning movement thereof, but, wherever the pin 30'may be found, when the starter motor is energized to rotate the shaft 2 in a counter-clockwise direction (see` Fig. 2) and thus the pinion 3, driving connection 17, 18 and sleeve 9, the pin Will under 'normal starting conditions travel along theface 14 and face 13 or the face 13 alone, as the case may be, and will eventually co-operate with a suitable part of the cam slot to eifect a separation of the teeth 1 7, 18. In other words, as the pinion and thus the drive connection 17, 18 and the sleeve 9- are rotated by the shaft 2 in a counter-clockwise direction of rotation, the efect is the same as if the pin travelled clockwise relative to the slot until the pin travelling down the face 13 comes to rest when the leg 26 engages the stop 28. The cont iued rotary movement of the sleeve 9 by the teeth 1.7, 18 brings the return cam face 15 into engagement with the'pin 30. This engagemert causes the sleeve 9 to be moved towards the lert and away from the .pinion to disengage the teeth 17 from the teeth 18.

The teeth 17, 18 are thus engaged while the entering mechanism for meshing the pinion is turning. the latter and the teeth are disengaged by the turning of the pinion by means other than the said mechanism. The partial return movement of the sleeve'9 is limited by the engagement of the face 13 with the pin 30 so that no pressure is applied by the sleeve support 10 against the brake Washer 12 whilethe shaft 2.

and thus the clutch part 5 carrying the shoulder 11, is beingdriven.

When the engine starts, the teeth of the pinion 3 might tend to work out of mesh with the teeth of the gear 20, which would result in the teeth 17 and 18 being re-engaged, and consequent damage. To prevent this from happening, we proder will be positioned between the pin 30 and the `face 13 when the sleeve 9 is shifted relative to the part 5 to engage the teeth 17 with the teeth`18.

Another function of the above described positioning of the shoulder 33 istopermitthe disengagement of the teeth 17, 18 should the pinion be turned in either direction by means other than theteeth 17, 18, as for example, when 'the pinion is pressed against and turnedby the engine gear while the latter is in motion.

When the engine is running the pinion will overrun the shaft until the operator permits the spring 27 to return the parts to' their initial positions. During the return movement the member 21 is moved out of engagement with the switch 32 to de-energize the, motor and the'pin30 is drawn along the cam face 15 until it engages in the recess 16. The sleeve 9 is moved by the pin to move the support 10 of the sleeve into engagement with the brake Washer 12 which engages the shoulder 11 and causcs the clutch driving part 5, clutch 4 and pinion 3 to be moved as a unit to theirinitial or normal positions. The engagement of the pin 30 with the recess 16 positions the cam faces 13 and 14 on the sleeve 9 relative to the pin for a fresh Start.

In the case of a baclward turning of the engine, gear 20 during the startingoperation the pinion and thus the sleeve 9 will' be turned backwardiy so thatthe pin 30 will travel along the face le 'and be engaged by the return face 14 to cause a separation oi the teeth 17, 18. Pressure by the pin 30 against the face le and thue the teeth 17, which would to 'prevent the return axial movement of the :sleeve 9,-is prevented by the shoulder 33 which ensures clearance for the withdrawal of theteeth 17 as hereinbefore described. In this case the 'face 14:? engages the pin 30 to limit the partial return* movement of the sleeve 9 whereby the sleeve support 10 is held out'of engagement with the brake, Washer 12 while the pinso is in engagement with the shoulder 33.

It is obvious that the same results would be obtained by various modifications, such for example by the Construction diagrammatically illustrated in Eig. 3 in which the pin 30 'engages the face le first and is pushed into engagement with the face 13, if necessary, instead of being pulled rom iace 13 to 14.- as shown in Figsql to 7. That is to say, the movement of the lower end of the lever 21' to the right will bring the pin 30 into contact With the face 14: will then cause the sleeve 9 to move to the right to engage the teeth 17 with teeth 18 whereby the clutch 4 and pinion 3 will be shifted towards engine gear 20. If the pinion and gear teeth abut, the pinion 3, sleeve 9 pin 30 will be stopped in their movement to the 'right and the continued movement of the member 21 will cause the extension 24 to Swing on its pivot 25 against the compression of the spring 27 r The pin in this case thus moves in a downward direction and tends to turn the member 9 and the pinion 3 by reason of the reaction between pin 30 and cam face 14. Should this turning movement be checked, the pin will be pushed off the face 14 and into contact with face 13. The spring 27 now tends to turn the member 9 and pinion a direction of rotation opposite `that caused bythe engagement of pin 30 and face be separated when the starter motor drives the pinion.

We claim:

1. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft having a starter pinion mounted thereon ;for meshing with a gear of an engine to be started; and means for axially moving the pinion and for rotating it first in one directionof rotation in case the pinion collides with the gear, the said means including an arm having a hinged extension adapted, upon the turning movement of the pinion in the first direction being stopped, to

move relative toothe arm to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion.

2. Ina mechanism for connecting a rotatable device with a gear, the combination with a pinion adapted to be shited into engageinent with the gear, of a rotatable andsiidable member having a driving en agement with the pinion; and a manually operable member, the rotatable member having provisions for' engagement by -the manually operable member to move the pinion towards the gear and to turn the pinion in one direction of rotation, the rotatable member having separate provisions for engagement with the manual memberto turn the pinion in the opposite direction of rotation, the manually operable member having provisions for conditioning it to engage the second mentioned provisions to reverse the direction of gagement with the other face to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion upon the first rotary movement of the pinion being stopped.

4. In combination with a Starter motor; a gear; a pinion adapted to be meshed therewith and be driven by the motor; and means or moving said pinion intomesh with said gear, the said means including a cam having two non-parallel faces and a manually operable member adapted to engage one of the said faces to move the pinion axially and to rotate it in one direction of rotation if the pinion collides with the gear, the member having yieldingprovisions adapted to permit its engagernent with the other face to'reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion upon the first rotary movement of the pinion being stopped.

5. In combination with a Starter motor; a gear; a pinion adapted to be meshed therewith and be driven' by the motor; and means for moving said pinion into mesh with said gear, the said means including a cam having two non-parallel faces and a manually operable member formed in two parts; and a spring tending to urge one of the said parts to its extended position for engagement with one of the said faces whereby the pinion may be moved axially and rotarily if collision between the pinion and gear occurs, the said part being moved along the said face against the stressing of the spring into engagement with the other face to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion when its first turning movement is stopped.

5. An engine Starter including a rotatabie shaft having a starter pinion shiftable thereon for meshing with a gear of an engine to be started; a

ber'having provisions adapted' to permit its enrotatable and axially i movable member having two diverging faces and a driving connection with the pinion; and a manually operable member having a yieldable extension carried thereon adapted to co-'operate with one of the said faces to move the pinion axially and rotarily, and With the other face to reverse the direction of rotation of the pinion and to tend to move it into meshing relationship with the gear.

' 7. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft having a starter pinion 'shiftable thereon for meshing with a gear of an engine to be started; a rotatable andaxially movable member having a driving connection with the pinion and two diverging faces; and a manually operable member having a spring finger adapted to engage one of the said faces to move the pinion axially and rotarily, the finger being adapted, when the rotary movement of the pinion is stopped, to be moved 'over the said face by a continued move- 'ment of the manually operable member to engage the other face whereby the pinion will be turned in the opposite direction of rotation.

8.`In combination, a gear; a pinion axially movable into and out of mesh'with said gear; means to rotate said pinion to drive said gear when said pinion is in mesh therewith; and means for turning said pinion in opposite directions of rotation and for moving the pinion axially toward `said gear, the said turning means including a spring finger and a rotatable and axially movable member having two diverging faces adapted to be engaged seriatim 'by 'the finger to effect such turning of the pinion during. one operation of the turning means whereby the positionof the pinion teeth with respect to the teeth of said gear will be changed at the end of the operation of the turning means if the pinion fails to mesh with the gear.

9. In combination, a gear; a pinion axially movable into and out of mesh withsaid gear;

means to rotate said pinion to turn said gear when said pinion is in mesh therewith; and means for turning said pinion in 'opposite directions of rotation and for moving the pinion axiallytoward said gear, the said turning means including a rotatable and axially movable member having .two diverging faces; a manually operable lever;

a finger pivoted on the lever and provided with a part adapted to engage the lever to position the-;finger in its normal position; and a spring tending to maintain the finger in its normal posi- 'tion for engagement with one of the faces and adapted to permit the finger to engage the other face when the first rotary movement of the pinion is stopped. r

10; In an engine starter the combination with a shaft; a pinion slidably and rotatably mounted on the shaft; a one-way clutch comprising driven and drivingmembers, the driven member being Secured to the pinion, the driving member being axially movable on the shaft and having a driving connection therewith; manually operable means for shifting the clutch and pinion towards a gear of an engine to be started; and means' incident to the manual shifting of the clutch and pinion towards the gear forotating the pinion first' in one direction of rotation and then in the other direction in case of gear tooth abutment.

11. In an engine starter the combination with a shaft; a pinion slidablyand rotatably mounted on the shaft; a one-way clutch comprising driven and driving members, the driven member being Secured to the pinion; the driving member being axially movable on the shaft and having a driving connection therewith; and means for shifting the driven member and the pinion towards a gear of an engine to be started and for turning the said driven member and pinion independently of the said driving member in case the pinion collides with the gear.

12. In an engine starter the combination with a starter motor; a shaft driven thereby; a pinion mounted to turnvand slide on the shaft; a clutch including a part carried by the pinion and a part slidably connected with the shaft for establishing a drive connection between the shaft and-pinion, the said clutch being adapted to permit the pinion to overrun the shaft; and means for shifting the clutch and pinion towards a gear of an engine to be started, the said means including a disengageable drive connection with the clutch part carried by the pinion to turn the latter in case of gear tooth abutment.

13. In an engine starter the combination with a shaft; a pinion shiftable thereon; a one-way driving connection between the shaft and pinion; and means for shifting the pinion towards a gear of an engine to be started, the said means including mechanism for turning the pinion first in one direction of rotation and 'then in the other direction in case of gear tooth abutment.

v 14. In an engine starter the combination, of a starter motor; the motor and meshed with a gear of an engine to be started; means' for meshing and de-meshing the pinion, the said means including a disengageable drive connection and provisions for disengaging the said drive connection upon a turning movement of the pinion either by the motor or the gear; and means for relieving the p'essure of the meshing means against the disengageable drive connection turned by the motor or the gear.

15. In an engine starter the combination of a shaft; a pinion journalled thereon; an overrunning clutch between the shaft and pinion; a rotatable and axially movable member having a.

disengageable drive connection with the pinion;

means for moving the member axially to engage the said drive connection and to Shift the clutch andpinion towards a gear of an engine to be started, the said means being adapted to turn the 'member and thus the pinion in case the pinion collides with the gear, the said member having provisions forengagirg the said means to eiect a return movement of the member and disengage the drive connection; and a shoulder on the clutch adapted to be engaged by the said 130 means to permit the return movement of the member, and to control the de-meshing of the pinion from the gear.

16. In an engine starter the combination of a rotatable shaft; a pinion journalled thereon; an overrunning clutch between the shaft and pinion, the clutch including a drive part splined on the shaft, and a driven part Secured to the pinion; a sleeve slidably and rotatably mounted on the said drive part; a disengageable driving connection between the sleeve and the driven part; a brake device carried by the drive part for engagement by the sleeve; manually operable means including a pin and inclined slot connection with the 'sleeve for shifting the sleeve, clutch and pinion as a unit towards a gear of an engine to be started and for rotating the sleeve to turn the pinion in case'of gear tooth abutment; and a shoulder on the clutch drive part adapted to be engaged by the pin when the shaft is rotata pinion adapted to be driven by when the pinion is ing, the said pin and inclined slot connection being adapted to return the sleeve and disengage the driving connection, the endof the slot being adapted to limit the return movement of the sleeve to prevent its engagement with the brake Washer while the pin is engaging the shoulder.

17. In an 'engine starter the combination of a starter motor; a pinion adapted to be driven by the motor and meshed With a gear of an engine to be started; means including a disengageable drive connection for meshing the pinion; and provisions for disengaging the said drive connection upon a turning movement in either direction of rotation of the pinion, either by the gear or the motor; and means for relieving the pressure of the meshing means against the disengageable drive connection when the pinion is turned by the gear or motor. 18. In an engine Starter the combination of a shaft; a pinion shiftable thereon; an overrunning clutch between the shaft and pinion; means for shifting the clutch and pinion towards a gear of an engine to be started, the said means including a disengageable drive connection for turning the pinion independently of the clutch in case of gear tooth' abutment, and including provisionsfor disengaging the drive connection when the pinion is turned by the clutch or the gear; a member adapted to be engaged by the shifting means to hold the pinion in mesh with the gear and relieve the pressure of the shifting means against the said drive connection when the pinion is turned by the clutch or gear; and a device carried by the 'clutch for engagement by the shifting means to return the clutch and pinion to their normal inoperative position, the shifting means including provisions whereby the engagement of the shifting means and the said device is prevented while the shifting means is engaging the said member.

19. An engine starter including a rotatable shaft having a Starter pinion shiftable, thereon for meshing with a gear of an engine to be started; means including a manually operable lever having an extension pivoted thereon ata point spaced from the fulcrum of the lever for shifting the pinion axially and rotarily to mesh it with the gear, the said means including a rotatable and axially v movable member having two diverging faces adapted to be engaged seriatim movement of the extension relative to the lever in one direction; and a spring tending to maintain the extension against its stop and the lever in its initial or inoperative position.

20. An engine Starter including a starter motor; a gear; a pinion adatped to be meshed therewith and be driven by the motor; means for moving said pinion into mesh withsaid gear, the said means including a cam and a manually operable member having a yieldable extension; a switch operable by the member to control the energizing of the motor When the pinion is meshed; and means for limiting the movement of the manually operable member towards the energizing means if the pinion be not meshed with the gear.

MAUNSELL B. JACKSON. KENNETH M. CLIPSHAM.

'by the said extension; a stop for limiting the 

